Reviews tagging 'Violence'
The Awakening of Malcolm X by Tiffany D. Jackson, Ilyasah Shabazz
7 reviews
scarroll178's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, and Racism
onthesamepage's review
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
CWs: racial slurs, racism, mistreatment of prisoners, violence, drugs
This is a historically accurate (with some fictionalized elements) portrayal of Malcolm X's young adult life , specifically the period he spent in prison. During this time, he is introduced to the Nation of Islam through his family, and we follow him as he initially dismisses the religion they have joined, but is slowly drawn to Islam through his brothers and Elijah Muhammad.
This is a historically accurate (with some fictionalized elements) portrayal of Malcolm X's young adult life , specifically the period he spent in prison. During this time, he is introduced to the Nation of Islam through his family, and we follow him as he initially dismisses the religion they have joined, but is slowly drawn to Islam through his brothers and Elijah Muhammad.
The warden stands off to the side of the mess hall and cats become real quiet. One wrong move and he’ll throw all of us in the hole without a single care. Mack’s voice creeps in my head, and I try not to compare him to a plantation owner. We’re not slaves, but it’s hard to imagine this place as anything less than that type of hell. How does one live his life desiring to terrorize another?
The way prisoners, especially Black prisoners, were and still are treated is frankly depicted here, and it's even though it's horrible to read about, it's important to be aware of the structural racism within the prison system in the US.
I only know the barebones of Malcolm's history, so most of this was new to me and a very interesting read. Even though his relationship with Elijah Muhammad is still going strong by the end, we're already given hints that all is not well within the Nation of Islam. I also have to say I didn't know much about what the NoI entailed before reading this, and I'm definitely curious to find out more.
I really like this format, where we get to see the important events happen as they actually played out, but with a fictional narrative spun around it. It's a great way to learn more about history, and while I'm not sure I'm interested in the book that precedes this one, I do hope the authors continue to write about Malcolm's journey.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Racial slurs, and Drug use
decklededgess's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
trigger warnings: incarceration, assassination, forced institutionalization, racism, physical violence, grief, death of parent, medical trauma, police brutality
This was a slow build book. I was very confused and disoriented by the switching timelines early on because I did this in audio but once I caught on, I was hooked. As someone who is only familiar with Malcolm X through what I have learnt in recent anti racist research, this was a great starting point for me to start digging into his writings more and more.
I thought this was a really great piece of work to introduce high school kids to Malcolm X outside of the "he was violent" narrative that the education system pushes and has pushed for decades. I hope this book gets integrated into curriculum asap so that kids can start seeing history through a more antiracist lens.
This was a slow build book. I was very confused and disoriented by the switching timelines early on because I did this in audio but once I caught on, I was hooked. As someone who is only familiar with Malcolm X through what I have learnt in recent anti racist research, this was a great starting point for me to start digging into his writings more and more.
I thought this was a really great piece of work to introduce high school kids to Malcolm X outside of the "he was violent" narrative that the education system pushes and has pushed for decades. I hope this book gets integrated into curriculum asap so that kids can start seeing history through a more antiracist lens.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Racism, and Violence
thetealdeal's review against another edition
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery
ballgownsandbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Fierce Reads and Colored Pages Tours for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Malcolm X has always been a hero of mine: I read his autobiography when I was eleven, and again at sixteen, and I’ve always looked up to his incredible strength and determination. So I was absolutely thrilled that Colored Pages Book Tours have given me the opportunity to review this, a YA novelisation covering just his years in prison, the period of his life where he learned to be both Muslim and activist.
The first half of the book is incredibly tough to read. The bleak hopelessness of young Malcolm’s first few years in prison, interwoven with the utter dissoluteness of his earlier Harlem life (shown in a series of flashbacks as he dreams of the events that have led him here) are absolutely devastating, particularly knowing what he was capable of and what he would eventually become. All credit to Shabazz and Jackson’s writing: his emotions – guilt and anger and helplessness – are just suffocating.
A particularly visceral scene is one in which Malcolm chemically straightens his hair, fully in the knowledge that it will burn his scalp. The water pipes in his family’s Michigan home are frozen, leaving him unable to wash out the lye; his only option is to wash his hair in the toilet, and the moment is such a symbol of the degradation and pain that Black people have endured in an attempt to be accepted by white people.
But the second half of the book, once he finds Islam and starts learning about the oppression of Black people (his ‘awakening’, if you will), was… nothing short of glorious. The Nation of Islam was wrong about a lot of things (as X would come to realise in later life), but this book mainly focuses on the aspects of it that did align with true Islam, particularly prayer. Seeing his twin journeys towards connecting with God, and learning about the systematic oppression of Black people, was so powerful and inspiring.
Malcolm is resistant to Islam at first, and it’s desperation and hopelessness that ultimately drives him to start learning about it. His impatience to find out everything, learn the ritual prayers, practice as perfectly as he can, is almost childlike in its innocence and eagerness, and truly just made my heart so happy.
For him, spreading Islam within the Black community was one and the same with his anti-racist activism, and though he’d started re-learning to read before accepting Islam, it’s his acceptance of religion that turbocharges his drive to learn about Black history and racism. Really the main focus of the book is the fact that Black people descend from a lineage of incredibly rich and developed society in Africa, and the ways in which American society is set up so as to deliberately and systematically oppress Black people. Both points are reiterated over and over, but it never feels repetitive and it hits every time (and besides, given that the target audience is young YA, for whom this could well be their first introduction to structural racism in so many words, I think the approach of really driving it home absolutely works!).
I absolutely loved the messages of this book, and the way it depicted Malcolm’s thoughts and emotions in such an accessible and vivid way, and I can’t wait for more people to read it!
Malcolm X has always been a hero of mine: I read his autobiography when I was eleven, and again at sixteen, and I’ve always looked up to his incredible strength and determination. So I was absolutely thrilled that Colored Pages Book Tours have given me the opportunity to review this, a YA novelisation covering just his years in prison, the period of his life where he learned to be both Muslim and activist.
The first half of the book is incredibly tough to read. The bleak hopelessness of young Malcolm’s first few years in prison, interwoven with the utter dissoluteness of his earlier Harlem life (shown in a series of flashbacks as he dreams of the events that have led him here) are absolutely devastating, particularly knowing what he was capable of and what he would eventually become. All credit to Shabazz and Jackson’s writing: his emotions – guilt and anger and helplessness – are just suffocating.
A particularly visceral scene is one in which Malcolm chemically straightens his hair, fully in the knowledge that it will burn his scalp. The water pipes in his family’s Michigan home are frozen, leaving him unable to wash out the lye; his only option is to wash his hair in the toilet, and the moment is such a symbol of the degradation and pain that Black people have endured in an attempt to be accepted by white people.
But the second half of the book, once he finds Islam and starts learning about the oppression of Black people (his ‘awakening’, if you will), was… nothing short of glorious. The Nation of Islam was wrong about a lot of things (as X would come to realise in later life), but this book mainly focuses on the aspects of it that did align with true Islam, particularly prayer. Seeing his twin journeys towards connecting with God, and learning about the systematic oppression of Black people, was so powerful and inspiring.
Malcolm is resistant to Islam at first, and it’s desperation and hopelessness that ultimately drives him to start learning about it. His impatience to find out everything, learn the ritual prayers, practice as perfectly as he can, is almost childlike in its innocence and eagerness, and truly just made my heart so happy.
For him, spreading Islam within the Black community was one and the same with his anti-racist activism, and though he’d started re-learning to read before accepting Islam, it’s his acceptance of religion that turbocharges his drive to learn about Black history and racism. Really the main focus of the book is the fact that Black people descend from a lineage of incredibly rich and developed society in Africa, and the ways in which American society is set up so as to deliberately and systematically oppress Black people. Both points are reiterated over and over, but it never feels repetitive and it hits every time (and besides, given that the target audience is young YA, for whom this could well be their first introduction to structural racism in so many words, I think the approach of really driving it home absolutely works!).
I absolutely loved the messages of this book, and the way it depicted Malcolm’s thoughts and emotions in such an accessible and vivid way, and I can’t wait for more people to read it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
bookishrealm's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
YESSSS the first 5 star read of 2021! I'm so happy that it was this book. This book comes after X chronologically; however, it can be read as a stand alone. Thank you so much to FSG for providing me a copy of this book for review. All thoughts are my own. CW: use of the n-word, mistreatment of Black prisoners, physical violence, suicide, suicidal ideation, drugs, gambling, racism.
"Hard to imagine a world that considers us equals when the core of our very existence is human and they don't consider us that."
The Awakening of Malcolm X focuses on the portion of Malcolm X's life when he was imprisoned. The story is told in an interesting narrative where readers have the opportunity to see Malcolm reflect on events that happened prior to him ending up in prison and applying the feelings of those experiences to his current experience. While Shabazz and Jackson took a little creative liberty in how they portrayed certain events, there is so much to enjoy and learn from this story. There is an intimate portrayal of the relationship that Malcolm had with his siblings and how they worked together to make sure that Malcolm "awakened" himself to discover who he was meant to be. Shabazz and Jackson also emphasize and highlight how much Malcolm valued education. It reminded me of how my own father taught me to always value my education. I knew that Malcolm was well rounded and well read, but as a reader you really learn how invested he is in reading all sorts of books to become self-educated. I didn't even realize he was on a debate team!
With Shabazz and Jackson I expected nothing but well designed social commentary. There is a clear paralleling of Black men and White men who served time. Through Malcolm's awakening he quickly learns how the world will view and treat him as a Black man. In fact, most of the conversations that take place around the incarceration of Black men are still applicable today in 2021. It was definitely difficult to read at some points; however, it's conversation that needs to continue. I'm hoping that Shabazz intends to write at least two more books that details his ongoing relationship with the Nation of Islam. While it plays a big role in the context of this book and in Malcolm's awakening process, there is a small hint at the indication of the the later fall out that Malcolm will have with Elijah Muhammad.
Overall, I loveeeddddd this novel. It was easy to follow, it captures Malcolms inner monologue in a way that connects the reader to his experiences. There will be younger readers that will get a lot out of reading this book. From learning about Malcolm X, to learning about Black history (there is a mention of the 1921 Tulsa Riots), to learning about the importance of family there appears to be something for everyone. If you haven't considered reading this book, I would definitely recommend picking it up.
"Hard to imagine a world that considers us equals when the core of our very existence is human and they don't consider us that."
The Awakening of Malcolm X focuses on the portion of Malcolm X's life when he was imprisoned. The story is told in an interesting narrative where readers have the opportunity to see Malcolm reflect on events that happened prior to him ending up in prison and applying the feelings of those experiences to his current experience. While Shabazz and Jackson took a little creative liberty in how they portrayed certain events, there is so much to enjoy and learn from this story. There is an intimate portrayal of the relationship that Malcolm had with his siblings and how they worked together to make sure that Malcolm "awakened" himself to discover who he was meant to be. Shabazz and Jackson also emphasize and highlight how much Malcolm valued education. It reminded me of how my own father taught me to always value my education. I knew that Malcolm was well rounded and well read, but as a reader you really learn how invested he is in reading all sorts of books to become self-educated. I didn't even realize he was on a debate team!
With Shabazz and Jackson I expected nothing but well designed social commentary. There is a clear paralleling of Black men and White men who served time. Through Malcolm's awakening he quickly learns how the world will view and treat him as a Black man. In fact, most of the conversations that take place around the incarceration of Black men are still applicable today in 2021. It was definitely difficult to read at some points; however, it's conversation that needs to continue. I'm hoping that Shabazz intends to write at least two more books that details his ongoing relationship with the Nation of Islam. While it plays a big role in the context of this book and in Malcolm's awakening process, there is a small hint at the indication of the the later fall out that Malcolm will have with Elijah Muhammad.
Overall, I loveeeddddd this novel. It was easy to follow, it captures Malcolms inner monologue in a way that connects the reader to his experiences. There will be younger readers that will get a lot out of reading this book. From learning about Malcolm X, to learning about Black history (there is a mention of the 1921 Tulsa Riots), to learning about the importance of family there appears to be something for everyone. If you haven't considered reading this book, I would definitely recommend picking it up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Addiction, and Drug use
betweentheshelves's review
challenging
dark
informative
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for an advanced copy of this book to review! I saw a few advertisements for it, and I was super excited to read it. It's an in-depth look at Malcolm X's young adult years, told in a way that makes his life more relatable to teenagers.
While this book is a sequel, it can definitely be read on its own. We piece together Malcolm X's past with flashbacks and dreams that Malcolm has when he was in prison. His story is a familiar one; he finds books and Islam in prison. We get to see how he transforms into the Malcolm X we're most familiar with. Overall, we get to see how rigged the system is against Black people and the way that Malcolm wants to fight against the system.
In addition, it's easy to see research was done on the topic. However, this doesn't take away from the story. There is a good mix of history, personal details from Malcolm X, and just enough fiction woven in. The topic is also timely, relating to the Black Lives Matter movement that's still happening in the United States.
This book would be a great addition to any classroom or library.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Slavery, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide
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